Inasmuch as you might enjoy those store-bought protein bars, the truth is that they’re certainly not cheap, neither are they all healthy for us, save for a few of them. But majority of these protein bars contain a long list of artificial ingredients and added sugar, which does more harm than good.

Fortunately, there’s a remedy to this. There’s a list of homemade protein bar recipes that have none of these artificial ingredients. They’re made with natural energy-boosting ingredients like nuts and protein powder.

Here are 5 of these homemade protein bars that you just have to love.

1. ‘Chubby Hubby’ Protein Bars

These are one of the best homemade protein bars you could ever think of. They require little or no sugar at all. Ingredients you need for this decadent bar include; peanut butter, almond milk, oat flour and a large amount of rice protein powder. To enjoy these delicious snacks, you’ll need to leave them to refrigerate overnight.

2. Blueberry Bliss Breakfast Bars

These bars are ideal for vegans. They’re packed with healthy dried fruits and nuts, while almond butter and maple syrup and applesauce help bind the nuts together, making it stick, just like how wet cement binds bricks together. Apart from these bars being rich in vitamins, they’re also very high in protein and fiber. Each serving packs about eight 8 grams of protein and 4 grams of fiber.

3. Strawberry Protein Bars

Strawberries have been linked to improving brain and heart function over the years. Not only that, they are also high in vitamins and fiber. What better way to spend your snack time than eating foods that help your brain and heart function better.
The amazing thing about these bars is that they’re tremendously packed with protein. Each bar contains about 17 grams of protein. They can be coated with dark chocolate for better taste.

4. German Chocolate Protein Bars

These delicious bars are quite easy to prepare. Their contents include dates, oat flour, coconut, cocoa, and pecans. All these, packed together, makes the bar crunchy and keeps your mouth busy for a while. If you’re in a situation where your dates are too dry to use, all you need to do is to soak them overnight and by morning, they’ll be ready for use.

5. Ginger Vanilla Protein Crunch Bars

These gluten-free bars are made with crystallized ginger, vanilla, coconut, and almonds. They’re simply delicious and are ideal for lunchtime snacks. The amazing thing about these bars is that you don’t need a food processor to make these heart-healthy snacks.

Conclusion

These bars are cheaper and healthier than the normal store-sold protein bars, so why not just stick to these ones? Remember, natural is always the better choice.

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Protein bars have been known through the years to aid in weight loss. Probably because they keep you full for a longer period and your body expends more calories during this period, trying to break them down.

In as much as protein bars are nutritious and are often seen as one of the best snacks you could ever have, some are basically junk food. So it’s important that you know which of these protein bars are the best for you.

In order to make a better choice, researchers looked at the ingredient list and overall calories, protein, fiber and sugar content. Here are the top 5 best protein bar choices you should be making:

1. Health Warrior Lemon Goldenberry Protein Bar

Health warrior bars contain a blend of protein-rich chia seeds, oats, quinoa and peas. Most of these components are also good sources of fiber and other nutrients. Chia seeds for example, are loaded with protein, fiber, antioxidants ad omega-3 fatty acids, all of which help in protecting your body from several life-threatening illnesses.
When soaked in liquid, these high-fiber foods found in health warrior lemon goldenberry protein bars (chia seeds, oats, etc), turn into gel, which can take-up serious space in your tummy, helping you feel full. This Health Warrior bar is also a good source of calcium for bone building.
calories – 190

fiber – 6g

protein – 10g

sugar — 10g

2. Evo Hemp Cashew Cocoa

This protein bar has a very simple ingredient list. Its major contents are vegan hemp seeds, dates, cashews and apricots. Hemp, just like the chia seeds, contains omega- 3 fatty acids, which are very essential for your health, helping to reduce inflammation, lower cholesterol and boost brain function.
calories – 185
fiber – 3g
protein – 7g
sugar – 10g

3. RXBAR Chocolate Sea Salt

The beautiful thing about this protein bar is that it has a clean (no artificial sugars added) ingredient list. With the exception of natural chocolate flavour, all six ingredients are real foods: egg whites, almonds, cashews, cacao and sea salt. On the mineral front, RXBAR is a good source of magnesium and potassium which helps maintain muscle function and lower blood pressure respectively. It also contains egg whites which are a good source of protein also have fewer calories than egg yolks.
calories – 200
fiber – 4g
protein – 12g
sugar – 12g

4. Juno Bar Apple Crisp

These protein bars are mostly made of whole foods; in particular, dates, almond butter and apples are the three most prominent ingredients. They also contain quinoa, chia, rice protein and hemp protein. Rich in iron, Juno Bars are ideal for women of childbearing age, who are often iron-deficient.
However, it’s important to take note that Juno bars contain inulin (a type of fiber that may cause gas and bloating in sensitive individuals), so people with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) might want to just skip this protein bar .
calories – 160
fiber – 5g
protein- 5g
sugar- 7g

5. Zings bars double nut brownie

This protein is lower on the list because its sugar content doesn’t come from natural sources. However, with 8g of fiber and 10g of protein for less than 200 calories, it’s actually a healthy choice for most people. The Zing bar, just like the Juno bars also contains irons, and similarly, you should also try proceeding with caution if you have IBS, because of its high probiotic fiber content.
calories- 190
fiber – 8g
protein – 10g
sugar – 9g

Conclusion

One of the main reasons why people fall ill is because they eat the wrong foods. Most snacks we have around today are junk foods and are best avoided. Instead, try these delicious protein bars we have talked about, for better health and fitness.

Thinking of hiring a professional fitness trainer for further personalized guidance? We’d be happy to recommend a trainer you can trust. Please get in touch with us at:

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You’d never believe it, but the spare time you get and can’t wait to curl up in bed watching Orange is the New Black with a bowl of your favorite caramel ice-cream and other unhealthy snacks, is really the best time for you to plan your weight loss decisions.

Exercise

Understandable, that the last thing you can ever imagine doing when coming home from a long day at work is exercising. But! sweating helps you drop tons of pounds, some quick and simple exercises or even a 20/30 minute run around your blocks before you prepare to throw on the pj’s and cuddle into your covers will do wonders to both your health and weight loss plan.

Food and Drink

It is worrying the number of people that believe not eating at all will help them lose weight. As well as being extremely unhealthy and dangerous, not eating at all won’t necessarily mean permanent weight loss. You may even be left with unwanted loose skin. So eat smart, eat clean and healthy with plenty of vegetables and protein.

In addition to eating clean, you would be a lot better of packing your own food every night, ready for the following morning instead of resorting to those easy and quick takeaway restaurants. And don’t worry if you miss a night prepping your food, running down to a supermarket on your lunch break might do you some good stretching your legs and moving about. Once there though, don’t slack, find the fruits and sandwiches instead of crisps and hot dogs.

A simple tip to follow is drinking plenty of WATER. Place it on the side of your bed whilst your home and carry a bottle around with you during the day. Water is excellent for helping sort out that uncomfortable bloat.

An hour before I plan to hit the gym for a solid workout, hungry or not a post-workout snack and beverage are key to restoring your body’s energy and nutrients. But avoid a high-fat, empty-calorie snack that can negate all of the hard work you just did. Instead, opt for a nutritious post-workout food with a hydrating beverage.

Why Post Exercise Nutrition is Important

The body needs water and glycogen levels restored after an exercise session. Your post-meal snack or meal helps replenish those levels. Protein and carbohydrates create a post-workout combination that aids in the body’s recovery.

Time Frame for Post-Workout Eating

Fluid intake should occur during and immediately after the workout. This keeps your hydration levels up throughout the workout. The post-workout snack or meal should take place shortly after you complete your exercise. It is recommend to eat a carbohydrate snack 30 minutes after your workout, the amount of which should be 0.5 to 0.7 grams of carbohydrate per pound of body weight. You should then have a meal within the first two hours after your workout for the most effective recovery. Waiting too long to eat could make the recovery process take longer.

In reality, the reason you may have gained weight probably has more to do with what you are eating and how much you are eating rather than the time of day you are eating. Eating the right protein at night can help you build muscle while you sleep. Eating low-glycemic carbs at night can help control your blood sugar the next day and even help you regulate your appetite.

Some are not-so-guilty pleasures, some are great snacks to have after a light dinner and others make fantastic post-workout snacks.

1. Coconut-Mango Cream

Here is a simple dessert that uses frozen mango and coconut milk to make a dish your friends will rave about. To make it vegan, opt for a vegan protein powder like hemp, brown rice or pea.

• CALORIES: 171

2. No-Bake Honey Peanut Butter Cookies

These simple-to-make no-bake cookies contain the great flavor combination of peanut butter and chocolate, along with a little hint of sweetness from honey. The addition of oats adds a punch of fiber and plant protein that makes them very satisfying.

Tip: To cut down on calories, you can make 16 half-size cookies instead.

• CALORIES: 238

3. Dark Chocolate

There is a big nutritional difference between your average convenience-store chocolate candy and cacao-rich dark chocolate. The dark chocolate lacks the high added sugar content of traditional chocolate and instead provides you an antioxidant punch that has been shown to lower blood pressure, improve insulin sensitivity, fight inflammation and improve your mood.

4. Slushy

Here’s a better, no-added-sugar version that contains branched chain amino acids (BCAAs), which can help decrease muscle soreness and stimulate muscle growth. Watch out for brain freeze!

• CALORIES: 36

5. Pistachios

Pistachios in the shell are an excellent nighttime snack because the shelling process requires some work, consequently slowing down how fast you can eat them. The slower you eat, the less you will consume. The combination of getting to eat more and having to eat them slower makes pistachios one of the best options. In addition, nuts come with a unique nutritional package because they contain fiber, biotin, vitamin B6, thiamin, folate, unsaturated fats and plant sterols, all of which makes them highly nutritious as well as satisfying.

6. Chocolate Peanut Butter Cottage Cheese

The combination of chocolate and peanut butter is arguably one of the best flavors in existence. This simple snack combines those two great flavors along with a creamy texture from cottage cheese. In addition, it provides a high dose of casein protein. Casein is the slower-digesting milk protein and has been shown to boost recovery while you sleep when taken later at night.

• CALORIES: 313

7. Raspberry Greek Yogurt

With this simple recipe for frozen Greek yogurt pops, you can do much better; it’s a nutritional treat with minimal prep. Greek yogurt is regular yogurt’s nutritionally superior sibling, with typically double the protein and half the carbs per serving. To make frozen Greek yogurt pops, mash three-quarters of a cup of raspberries in two cups of 2% plain Greek yogurt. Portion this mixture into popsicle molds and place in the freezer for several hours until completely frozen.

8. Pumpkin Seeds

One serving of pumpkin seeds contains almost 50 percent of your recommended intake of magnesium. Magnesium is an essential mineral that is used in more than 300 reactions in your body. One key area that magnesium addresses is relaxation. Magnesium is a relaxant, and high-magnesium snacks are ideal for helping you unwind at night. And the slight saltiness of roasted pumpkin seeds curbs your salty-snack craving that is usually quelled with potato chips.

9. Warm Milk and Honey

Warm milk has long been used as a sleep aid, making it a good late-night snack choice if you have trouble dozing off at night.  Adding honey to your warm milk will slightly boost the sugar content of your snack. This extra sugar is easily digested and can stimulate hormones that drive the formation of serotonin, making your warm milk assist in your sleep efforts from a psychological and physiological perspective.

10. Frozen Blueberries

The cold sweetness of frozen blueberries is very refreshing at the end of the day. Frozen blueberries are packed with just as many high-powered antioxidants as their fresh counterparts because they are flash frozen at peak ripeness. Blueberries are one of the best foods that you can eat for your health. If your diet can afford the extra calories, adding two tablespoons of cream ups the richness and sweetness of the treat.

11. Almonds

In addition, people who ate almonds experienced greater improvements in their total cholesterol and triglycerides, two key cardiovascular disease risk factors. Almonds are also another food that is high in magnesium. One ounce of almonds can be snacked on raw, roasted or seasoned with your favorite spice like curry or chili powder.

12. Kale Chips

Kale chips give you that great salty crunch without the extra fat and calories you’d get with regular potato chips. Kale chips also provide vitamins K, A and C and the cancer-fighting phytochemicals called carotenoids. Kale chips taste best when they are freshly baked.

The prep time is so minimal that you can easily whip up a batch while you are making dinner to enjoy them later in the evening.

• CALORIES: 63